Instruments and Effects

532 Chapter 28 Sculpture
The vibration of a bass string does not occur in a vacuum. The antenode of the string
frequently encounters the natural, physical limitations of the instrument. This is heard
as the typical buzzing and rattling that occurs when the strings touch the frets.
To simulate these disturbing elements with Object 2:
1 Activate Object 2, and choose the Bouncing type menu item. The sound should now
vaguely remind you of a mandolin tremolo. This is way too strong an effect for this kind
of sound.
2 Move Object 2 all the way to the right (a value of 1.00).
3 Experiment with Object 2’s parameters. A discrete and realistic result can be achieved
with the following parameter values: Strength: 0.33, Timbre: –1.00 and
Variation: –0.69.
Play some low notes, and you’ll find that, once again, the overtones sustain a little too
long (somewhat like the lowest notes/strings on a piano).
Use Object 3 to dampen these overtones:
1 Activate Object 3 and choose the Damp type menu option.
2 Also move Object 3 all the way to the right (value 1.00).
3 Set the Strength parameter to 0.18.
Note: Experiment with how the Strength parameter of Object 3 interacts with the Inner
Loss Material Pad parameter. The higher the Inner Loss value, the smaller the Strength
value can be, and vice versa.
In order to more realistically replicate the different tonal ranges of the bass, use
Sculpture’s scaling function.
First up, activate the scaling function display:
m Click on the Keyscale button located at the bottom of the Material Pad. The key-scaling
below C3 is displayed in green, the range above in light blue. The Material Pad with its
key-scaling parameters activated: